Self-Checkout: Most Commonly Stolen Items

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Gaps Plague Retail Self-Checkout Security

We know that self-supporting retail technology — with its sensors, devices and big data capabilities — offers us many conveniences. However, basic self-checkout platforms don’t always work well for retailers, here in New England, and beyond.

In fact, the Springfield, Massachusetts-based chain of stores Big Y World Class Markets decided it had to remove its self- checkout aisles, according to a Worcester Telegram.com article. In large part, this move was because of the higher incidence of thefts. The article notes that shoplifting is five times more likely at a self-checkout terminal than at a typical human-manned cash register. Read more →

Burglar’s Best Friend and Other Silly Security Stories

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Security is a serious matter. That doesn’t mean we can’t relax a bit in the summer heat and recollect some of the oddest New England home and business intrusion stories.

Here is a brief list of some of the most interesting encounters we’ve found between local felons, furry friends and property. Some were caught on camera, while one incident was apparent only by the evidence left behind. Read more →

Saving Money on DIY Security Cameras Means Taking Major Risks

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

In recent years we have seen technology improvement leaps and cost reductions in do-it-yourself (DIY) cameras and security systems. This has contributed to the rising popularity of residential alarms and monitoring. An Angie’s List essay says half of home owners surveyed claimed they want to install a monitored security system.

Some property owners hope to save money with low-cost alarm/monitoring solutions and services. These buyers are going to relatively cheap providers (as opposed to the more traditional national or regional companies) as a Forbes article notes. Other owners are even winging it alone with self-monitored systems.

Both of these groups of consumers may be making a huge mistake. Read more →

School Systems Security in the 21st Century

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

In recent years, we’ve seen all too many tragedies unfold in our public school systems and universities. Even more incidents end quietly that could have been much worse. Last year, a school custodian in South Hampton, New Hampshire, discovered an intruder armed with a shotgun and carrying prescription medication. Fortunately, the man fled and was later apprehended, local news reported. This just underscores the reality of the risks.security camera in a classroom

Strong security systems can protect our children and have recently proven effective in Everett, Massachusetts and Warwick, Rhode Island.

Recognizing the issue, education officials across the country have been investing heavily in security equipment and services. The total market value for the education sector of security gear and services hit $2.7 billion last year, according to industry research.

Read more →

Home Protection Must Never Go On Vacation

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Nothing ends a vacation on a worse note than returning home to find it’s been robbed. A sobering FBI research statistic points out that of the 2.5 million burglaries a year, 66 percent are home break ins, according to the National Council for Home Safety and Security. Additionally, the police only solve about 13 percent of reported burglaries, given the lack of witnesses to the crime, or usable evidence.

So, if you’re planning on heading out with your family and leaving your house unattended, you have good reason to be wary. However, it’s not a lost cause: As the FBI also points out: Some 90 percent of home burglaries are preventable, says a Consumer Reports article.

Read more →

Enhanced Access Control for Your Building Means Fewer Break-Ins

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Commercial Real Estate SecurityWhether it’s an office, school or apartment building, secure access control is a concern for everyone. For property owners, the responsibility of keeping residents and property safe from criminals is a top priority. Surprisingly, most burglars choose the most obvious and simple ways to break in. The most common time for a break in to happen is between 10 am and 3 pm and they usually go right through the front door. If they are bold enough to do that in broad daylight, they probably have no reservations about sneaking through the gate of a complex. Read more →

How Social Media Posts Of Your Holiday Travels Can Impact Home Security

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Social media is a great way to keep in touch with family and friends around the world, especially during the holidays. However, even though you may set the privacy settings, they can only do so much to limit what others can see and learn about you via your social networks.

According to AAA, 107.3 million Americans will take planes, trains, automobiles and other modes of transportation to travel over the river and through the woods to grandmothers’ house for the holidays.

If you’re planning to join them, be aware that using social media could put your holiday safety and home security at risk. How so? Well, your friends and family may not be the only people paying attention to your posts. Smart thieves are watching not only your house but also your social media channels.  So your Facebook live broadcast of your holiday travels, or a photo of your vacation could signal a savvy burglar that it’s safe to probe your home’s security vulnerabilities. Read more →

Security Tips for Apartment Property Managers

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Modern apartment buildingsAs a property manager you have a lot of people who depend on the safety and security of the apartment building you oversee.

Every day you have to deal with a number of challenges, including building maintenance, equipment inspection, handling residential complaints, hiring and maintaining qualified staff, and handling residents’ complaints. Read more →

5 Ways to Enhance School Entrance Security

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

officer fist bumps studentEvery student deserves to feel safe in his or her school. Unfortunately, we have all seen the news stories about what can happen when an intruder enters. The good news is technology is continuously improving to help stop these trespassers, and there are some strategies to help you as a school administrator to better secure your school’s entrances.

The goal of these best practices is to limit the ways people can enter your building. This will delay intruders, give the police time to respond, and allow you to communicate with teachers and staff. During this time, you can lock down the school and/or evacuate students and faculty, depending on the situation. Read more →

Business Security: 10 Tips to Prevent Shoplifting

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

In 2016, the average inventory shrink rate, increased to 1.44 percent, up from 1.38 percent in 2015, according to the National Retail Security Survey 2017. Shoplifting by outside customers, accounted for 37% of retail inventory loss, followed by 30% in employee theft, 21% in administrative errors and 5% in vendor fraud. This loss cost retailers about $48.9 billion worth of inventory, a National Retail Federation survey found.

Items most commonly stolen include clothing, books, music, jewelry, watches, tires and car parts. “Everyone thinks about little Johnny stealing a pack of bubble gum, but there are also professional gangs that target stores and steal billions of dollars every year,” says Joseph LaRocca, an adviser for the National Retail Federation, in the article. Read more →